Implementing a decision support system (DSS) in e-business

Abstract

Decision support systems (DSS) and e-business (EB) have emerged as separate areas. However, currently, and for some years now, DSS and EB have become merged to provide customers with greater benefits and added value. There are different types of DSS and different categories and business models for EB; one area's applicability to the other thus expands the possible combinations which can arise from such different categories. Some representative examples would include auction sites which, through applying intelligent agents, can learn about which products to offer or when and where to sell them; DSS allow a company's information avilable in web portals for customers and employees to be accessed in a controlled way and decisions thus made; virtual stores may be positively affected by data mining and data warehousing being applied; complex algorithms could be used in customer relationship management for predicting and analysing "what would happen if" to identify revenue opportunities in competitive markets; and a wide range of other applications where imagination is the limit. Research into DSS / BE must be ongoing due to the constant emergence of new business models and DSS subsystems. Applications can be varied and provide bi-directional support for each one. New interaction mechanisms and efforts to satisfy customers are also the focus of inspiration for new applications for DSS systems in EB.